Daily Report

Video of Leg 6

Official results of the 20th edition

The final results emerge after the 6th leg of competition. The winners in each category are as follows:

4x4/Truck Class - Team 125 Christine LALOUE and Claudine AMAT (Domaine Serge Laloue)with a total 216.94 km.Quad/Moto Class - Team 23 Betty KRAFT and Anne MOISANS (Polaris France), with a total of 180.42 km.Crossover Class - Franco-Moroccan Team 315 Isabelle CHARLES and Dounia BENNANI (Dacia) with a total of 923.04 km.

The rankings are determined by adding the kilometres (the difference between the actual distance driven and the "as the crow flies" distance of each route) and any penalties earned (converted into kilometres) for missing CPs, calling for assistance etc.

Road test a success for Dacia

In the Crossover class, the two Dacia teams successfully finished the Rallye on board the Duster, the new environmentally-friendly all-terrain car: Dounia and Isabelle (Team 315 - Dacia) are first in the general ranking, while Nathalie and Dorothée (Team 316 - Dacia) finish in 5th place (out of 8 teams competing in the class).This life-size test bodes well for the Duster's official European launch next month.

They did it!!

Eyes shining, hair stiff with sand, some are laughing, others are crying... it is enough to give you goosebumps... they are definitely extraordinary, our Gazelles. Team after team, they are crossing the finish line one last time. These women who have crossed Morocco, confronted the desert with its myriad faces, who have pushed their own limits, who have thrown themselves into an adventure that could change their outlook on life forever. These are our 2010 Gazelles, your Gazelles, friends, families, loved ones. We have a single word for them: bravo!

Race notes

In 4th position in the general ranking going into the 6th leg, Team 125, Christine Laloue and Claudine Amat (Domaine Serge Laloue), seem to be headed for a 1st place finish in this 20th edition!

Race notes

Following a breach of the sporting regulations, Team 138 is now Excluded from the Rallye.

Race notes 15:20 - the first Gazelles have reached the bivouac

At 15:20, 19 have already reached the bivouac after this last day of the Rallye. The wind has picked up, reducing visibility and making navigation difficult.

Crossover team 317 (Andréa SPIELVOGEL and Bettina SINGHARTINGER - Mercedes Benz) have just reached the bivouac, after reaching all of their checkpoints! Meanwhile, their opponents 312 (Emmanuelle FALCOU and Véronique MAGNON-BARBOTIN - La Poste) are at CP8 and 313 (Clarence SALARD and Julie PERRAUD - La Poste) have passed CP7.

Team 173 (Patricia CICILIANI and Céline VEGA-ROIATTI - SOCATEB) was the first 4x4 team to reach CP9, and is currently heading for CP10. 5 vehicles are about to reach CP9, and 4 vehicles (including Team 199, the "Guy Gazelles") are heading for CP8. Note that the teams that lead the provisory ranking are now between CP7X and CP8, crossing Lac Iriki. The three teams the furthest from the bivouac are still in the dunes; two of them are looking for CP7X.

Quad team 23 (Elisabeth KRAFT and Anne MOISAND - Polaris France) are approaching CP9, followed by 22 (Karine CANDES and Valérie DOT - Thierry Transports) who are close to CP8 and 21 (Marie-Laure HERVET and Rachel HERVET - Dokota) who chose an early return to the bivouac after reaching CP5.

We would like to pay tribute to the Gazelle Spirit of Team 106 (Emile SURAY and Lucie ROULEAU - Airel), who towed the vehicle belonging to Carole and Syndiely (Team 155) all the way to the bivouac today, permitting them to stay in the ranking after the problem they had with their clutch!

Race notes

Team 167 missed CP10 after barely making it to CP9!

Race notes 12:20 - in the dunes

At 12:20 on this final day of the Rallye, most of the teams are between CP6 and CP7, or CP6X and CP7X for those who have chosen the route through the dunes. Only 40 teams have chosen the dunes, and 20 of these decided to continue along the classic route before finding all of the "X" checkpoints.Among the 20 who are pursuing the route through the dunes, only one has made it through: Quad Team 23 (Elisabeth KRAFT and Anne Moisand - Polaris France). 15 teams are currently gravitating around CP7X, searching for it.

Note the excellent progress of Crossover team 317 (Andréa SPIELVOGEL and Bettina SINGHARTINGER - Mercedes Benz), who reached CP8S at 12:15... followed distantly by 312 (Emmanuelle FALCOU and Véronique MAGNON-BARBOTIN - La Poste) who are approaching CP7.Team 314 (Suzanne RIBEIRO and Delphine BOUE - La Poste) is being towed back to the bivouac by the mechanical assistance truck, after engine trouble preventing them from starting their vehicle. They will be Unranked, but may be able to drive the transfer to Essaouira tomorrow if the mechanics are able to fix the problem.

In the Quad class, apart from Team 23 which is already out of the dunes, Team 22 (Karine CANDES and Valérie DOT - Thierry Transports) are close to CP7X, and Team 21 (Marie-Laure HERVET and Rachel HERVET - Dokota) is approaching CP5.

Race notes : Quads 22 and 23 at CP6

The quads are in position to tackle the rest of the course tomorrow morning. The 6th checkpoint opens at 06:00; once they validate it, Quads 22 and 23 will head straight for CP7. If they get an early start, they could be among the first teams to reach the bivouac in Foum Zguid.

Video - Heart of Gazelles

News flash 18:55 - sunset in the dunes

There is a Rallye tradition that during the last marathon leg, the teams camp together in the Erg Cheggaga dunes. Teams 120, 162, 167, 125, 138, 133, 105 and 170 are together just south of Erg El Rhoual. They are in for a lovely night... in a place they will never forget.

Race notes 18:20 - Team 149 attacks the dunes!

Although darkness is fast approaching the desert, Team 149 has decided to tackle the dunes. They will likely have to stop before too long and make camp for the night. As a matterof fact, the first Gazelle bivouacs are appearing, as the teams get together in groups near the CP5s. We wish them a lovely night under the vast starry heavens!

News flash 17:34 - Team 155 on their way to the bivouac - by road!

The news has just been confirmed by the Race PC: Team 155 has called for assistance, because of problems with their clutch rendering the vehicle incapable of negotiating the dunes and other difficult terrain. Carole and Syndiely will have to make their way slowly to the Foum Zguid bivouac by road. The race is over for this team that has been dominating the rankings since the start. Out of luck for this year, but given their performance over the last week, they will be back for a rematch!

Race notes 17:02 - approaching CP5

In spite of the uncooperative weather, with strong winds once again reducing visibility and making navigation difficult, the majority of the teams are approaching CP5. Given the time, many are hesitant to tackle the dunes right away. Tomorrow morning, they will choose between the classic (easier) route, or the more difficult X route through the Chegaga dunes.

News from the Ranking Office

The general ranking for Legs 4 and 5 remains provisory pending further verification and validation by the Sporting Management.

Race notes 12:00 - all systems go for the Gazelles!

At noon on this first day of the Leg 6 Marathon, it's all systems go for our Gazelles! All of the Crossovers have passed CP1, as well as most of the 4x4s and quads. The changes to the day's course(CP3 and CP4 cancelled) should make today a little easer than the preceding days, and this seems to be the case: a dozen vehicles are already in sight of CP2, with two dozen more within 5 km.Just 3 calls for assistance, for help in getting out of the sand; no mechanical problems for the moment... Let's hope that things continue this ay: no bivouac means no kind mechanics team tonight!

Two new "Gazous" on the start line

For this final leg of the 20th edition of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc, two new "male Gazelles' take their turn for the VIP team 199 (25th in the yesterday's general ranking): French actors Olivier Sitruk (films: L'Appât, Irène, Coco Chanel; TV series: Femmes de loi on TF1) and Stéphan Guérin-Tillié (films: La Journée de la jupe, Tête de Turc; TV: Louis Page). They have been working on their navigation skills since yesterday, and look lovely and clean in their brand new white vests! Sitruk and Guérin-Tillié take over from yesterday's "special guests", award winning Australian photographer Dan Campbell and Eric Loizeau.

Changes to the first part of the marathon leg

This morning saw the start of the last leg of this 20th edition of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc: "Enjoy yourselves, have fun, the terrain is magnificent!" Dominique Serra told her Gazelles during this morning's briefing.The briefing had been postponed by one hour, taking place at 06:00 instead of 05:00 ("It's great to sleep in!"). Today's route had to be altered during the night, to avoid an area flooded by the river. Two checkpoints were cancelled, and a third was changed.